Lot 30160 – 1873, 4 sen rose, plate 8, Government printing, block of four

1873, 4 sen rose, plate 8, Government printing, block of four, positions 18-9 / 26-27; plate 8A at top and plate 8B at base, originating from the intersection of the 8A and 8B plates between the third and fourth horizontal rows of the sheet. Displaying a very good centring and each stamp cancelled by very fine strike of type N1B1 « Niigata 9.9.1 » (1 September 1876) cds. Few insect holes in lower left stamp, otherwise and extremely fine and fresh multiple.

An exceedingly scarce multiple, larger than a pair, exhibiting sub-plates 8A & 8B. While pairs can be scarcely found, a block of four is a true rarity. (JSCA for normal plate 8 in block of four: ¥200,000).

Note: The type 8A features the two horizontal lines slanted in the Japanese « Te » character of « Yubin-Kitte » (in centre), and in the plate 8B the ornament in the four angles in centre is different with one of the elements being a semi-circle instead of a scroll. Exceptionally in the plate 8 only, we find « sub-plates »: the upper three rows (positions 1-24) are classified as plate 8A, and the lower two rows (positions 25-40) as plate 8B.

Provenance: Dr. Tani Takashi